About Jerry Manas

Whether writing about leadership lessons from historic figures and other icons, or musing on organizational culture and management, Jerry Manas has a knack for combining history, science, and a variety of other topics to bring fresh and entertaining perspectives to what could otherwise be dry subjects.

With his unique perspectives on organizational project and resource management, Jerry is frequently cited by leading voices in the world of business, including legendary management guru Tom Peters (In Search of Excellence), who often references Jerry’s best selling work, Napoleon on Project Management, for its insights on simplicity and character. Jerry’s work has been highlighted in a variety of publications, including Leadership Excellence, The National Post, The Globe and Mail, The Chicago Sun Times, The Huffington Post, and The Houston Chronicle. He has written numerous books and articles and appeared on radio programs nationwide.

Jerry’s newest book, The Resource Management and Capacity Planning Handbook (McGraw-Hill, Sept 2014), offers benchmarks, guidelines, and tools for maximizing the value of organizational “people” resources. Max Wideman, considered by many to be the “father of project management,” says of the book, “Author Jerry Manas steps nimbly through this minefield with solid evidence and practical advice—all laced together in an easy-to-read style and light-hearted humor. ”

In Napoleon on Project Management, Manas drew insightful parallels between Napoleon’s strategic brilliance and success in today’s organizational and business worlds. The prestigious Kirkus Reviews called it “the ultimate case study in effective project management,” and called his research “impeccable.” The book has been published in eight languages and has been course adopted in universities around the world, including in Iceland where Jerry appeared on National TV applying the lessons to the country’s economic recovery.

Jerry’s book Managing the Gray Areas, which brought new perspectives on resolving the most common leadership dilemmas, was hailed by Pat Williams, Senior VP of the Orlando Magic basketball team, as “a new path for leaders.” Project Lessons from the Roman Empire was a natural follow-up to the Napoleon book, and examines lessons in leadership, planning, and communication from the rise and fall of Rome. Jerry was also a co-author of the bestseller, 42 Rules for Creating WE, which Angela Ahrendts, CEO of Burberry, called “today’s greatest guide for team success.”

Jerry writes fiction books as well, as J.B. Manas. His debut sci-fi thriller, The Kronos Interference, with co-author Edward Miller, received a starred review in Kirkus Reviews, who called it “impressively original” and [a] “tour de force.” The book was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best of 2012. Visit the J.B. Manas website for more about Jerry’s fiction.

In addition to his writing, Jerry heads up the customer success and learning platform for New York City-based resource planning and portfolio management firm, PDWare, where he helps global clients maximize their organizational people resources. This, in turn, leads to a greater capacity to innovate, a more value-focused workforce, and an increased ability to adapt to change.

Jerry is a founding member of The Creating We Institute, an international thought leadership community dedicated to fostering WE-centric thinking in organizations through research in neuroscience and psychology.

Jerry was also a founding member of the Project Management Institute’s New Media Council, created to boost PMI’s presence and awareness with regard to new media, as well as the co-founder of the popular project portfolio management blog PMThink!. He served on the leadership team for the first editions of PMI’s international standards for portfolio and program management. Jerry is a member of the Author’s Guild, International Thriller Writers (ITW), Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO), and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, where he is a voting member of the Grammys.